Issues 8-13

Learning Curve

Peter attempts to earn some cash by taking pictures of his alter-ego for the Daily Bugle, but instead ends up being hired as tech support. Using the Bugle's archives to investigate his uncle's killer, Peter learns about Wilson Fisk, A.K.A The Kingpin, and attempts to take him head on. Peter fails, is unmasked by Fisk, and thrown off a building. Rethinking his strategy, Peter realizes he can obtain Fisk's security tapes, Spider-Man returns, defeating the Enforcers, Electro, and Fisk himself. Peter turns in the discs to Ben Urich, a reporter at the Bugle, who manages to pin Kingpin for murder, forcing Fisk to flee the country. Peter meets up with best friend Mary Jane Watson, apologizing for missing a date and reveals his secret identity to her. The two decide to start dating.

Did You Know?

• Bendis stated that letting Peter reveal his secret to Mary Jane was a sign that Marvel editorial had given their complete trust in him "Everyone was onboard, everyone understood where I was coming from and agreed, and that was it for me. I knew I was with a bunch of people I wanted to work for. These were people who wanted to tell stories rather than hold on and not really tell a story" [Bendis].
• When asked about the concept of modernizing Spider-Man, Bendis stated: "There were cosmetic changes, references, and some storytelling techniques" [Bendis]. For the former, having Peter be tech support instead of a photographer was one of those changes.
• Peter revealing his identidy was meant to be a subversion of a classic superhero trope, as Bendis elaborates: "I told them the reasons why and how I wanted to do it – this is the biggest cliché in the world, where a superhero has to lie to the girlfriend/boyfriend. They’re this noble person, but in the end, lying to the woman they love? He doesn’t want her to be in danger? Peter’s 15. He wouldn’t know that. That’s a life lesson. Remember when you were fifteen? I’d argue it’s probably more normal than not for a guy to tell a girlfriend he loves anything that he thinks would make her love him more. And when you’d be telling her “I’m Spider-Man?” That’s easy. Of course you’re going to say that. I pitched it, and wanted to tell it the opposite way – let him make the mistake of telling her, then have him dig the hole, and have him have to find a way out. Meanwhile, you get all this genuine teenage emotion as a part of it" [Bendis].